Bulletins from October 2022

Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector, wanted to see Jesus; he was curious, so he climbed a tree for a good view. His story, from the nineteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, could have ended there, but it was only the beginning. Jesus saw him, called him by name and went to Zacchaeus’ house for dinner. Jesus was more than curious about the tax collector; He was looking for him; the Lord was intent on saving him, despite the murmurings of the “good people.” Our individual histories mirror – or echo – this. The Lord calls each of us by name, for God wants nothing more than our sharing His life (“I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” [John 10:10].) In the end, the mission of the Church is the proclamation of this good news and, through the sacraments, to guide us in the ways of God’s life, even as we continue to share this message “to the ends of the earth.” Each of us shares this mission, which begins at home. . .in each of our homes. The Gospel is not a weapon, but an invitation. Faith cannot be forced, but learned from the example of our lives and the joy of the Good News. Just as He was looking for Zacchaeus, so the Lord continues to look for us and, in a special way, for those who have wandered from Him over the years. This is true good news for us to share.

“Jesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray. . .” The “righteous” Pharisee did not pray to God, but “to himself,” for he was truly full of himself, his own goodness, religious observance, and so much more. The other person, a tax collector, really prayed to God: “Be merciful to me, a sinner.” Because of his penitential attitude, he went home justified, for “the one who exalts oneself will be humbled and the one who humbles oneself will be exalted.” Sometimes, good people fall into the frame of mind of the Pharisee, so taken with their goodness, that it blinds them to the reality of their faults and the need to seek pardon from the Lord. As Pope Francis teaches, “the face of God is mercy,” but to experience this compassion, we need to be humble – honest – before the Lord. If we judge ourselves according to the perceived faults of others, we will be lost. Rather, we should strive to be responsive to the call to holiness in the best ways possible for each of us.

Moses surely appreciated the sentiment expressed in the Beatles’ lyrics, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” For the Israelites, it was Moses’ persistence and the support of others that won the battle for them In the gospel reading, a seemingly helpless widow confronts an unjust judge with a persistence that finally wore him down. Under pressure, the judge commits to rendering a just decision. Jesus uses the parable as an assurance that God will act swiftly and justly on behalf of those who call upon the Lord, especially those who face injustice. In the Church, we are committed to a “preferential option for the poor,” which is defined as “Caring for those who are less well off is everyone’s responsibility. Preferential care should be shown to vulnerable and marginalized people, whose needs and rights are given special attention in God’s eyes” (Caritas Australia). Rather than being an afterthought, the marginalized should be a primary focus of our ministry and outreach. Everything we do should have an essential component of care for those on the fringes of society. . .of our families.

At first glance, the connection between the First Reading and the Gospel this Sunday is the cure of lepers, Naaman (in 2 Kings) and the ten (in the Gospel of Luke). But the lesson they teach us is far more. Each received the gift of healing, yet the “gift within the gift” was the desire to give thanks, as did Naaman and only one of the ten whom Jesus healed. If we allow it within ourselves, giving thanks can be the rhythm of our lives. It is not a sign of weakness; our realization of our dependence upon God and others is, in fact, a mature understanding of how we are connected. The Eucharist, which gathers us each Sunday, means “thanksgiving,” – primarily for the saving work of Jesus, but also for all the other graces that we share. One such grace is the Sacrament of Confirmation that we will celebrate in our parish this Sunday. We welcome Bishop Oscar Cantú among us and thank him, not only for bestowing the gift of the Holy Spirit upon our candidates, but for his leadership in our local Church. At the same time, we give thanks to our candidates for Confirmation (in Latin, “confirmandi”), their sponsors, parents, families and catechists for their dedication to the process of formation, which began last January. And we congratulate them on the completion of the Christian Initiation that began at their Baptism. May they continue to grow closer to the Lord and the Church now and always.